Stakeholder Interviews
Align with decision-makers before designing a single pixel.
What is it?
Stakeholder interviews are structured conversations with key internal decision-makers (executives, product managers, engineers, sales) to understand business goals, constraints, technical limitations, and success metrics before starting design work.
When to use it
Conduct stakeholder interviews at the beginning of any project, during discovery phases, or when joining a new team. They're critical for understanding the 'why' behind a project.
How to do it
Identify 5-8 key stakeholders across different departments (product, engineering, sales, support).
Prepare a semi-structured interview guide covering goals, constraints, success metrics, and user knowledge.
Conduct 30-45 minute 1-on-1 interviews. Never group interviews — people censor around hierarchy.
Synthesize findings into a stakeholder map: goals, concerns, influence level, alignment gaps.
Share a summary with all stakeholders to build alignment and surface contradictions early.
Pro tips
Ask 'What does success look like in 6 months?' — it reveals true priorities faster than any other question.
Document contradictions between stakeholders explicitly. These are design landmines you need to defuse.